Fettes Community Podcast

Old Fettesian,  Elliot Graves (Gl 2007-2012)  joined us to talk about his experiences and to share his personal viewpoint on the future of immersive storytelling and the metaverse: a rapidly growing area.

Elliot Graves  is an Emmy-nominated Director and Creative Technologist, bringing digital content to life through immersive technologies like virtual reality and augmented reality. 

Elliot has worked on the recent David Attenborough productions "Kingdom of Plants’, ‘First Life’ and ‘Micro Monsters’. 

The Photo Reconnaissance Unit Spitfire that Old Fettesian Sandy Gunn (Ca 1933-1937) flew was shot down on 5th March 1942, 80 years ago.  Hear our podcast on Sandy’s story with aviation expert, Tony Hoskins. 

Historical aviation expert, Tony Hoskins, joined us on the Fettes Community Podcast to tell us about Sandy’s remarkable role as a Spitfire pilot in the Photo Reconnaissance Unit.  Sandy’s Spitfire was shot down on a discovery mission over Norway 80 years ago. Sandy survived and was handed to the Germans.  He was interrogated and imprisoned at Stalag Luft III. Sandy, with his great intelligence and physical ability was part of the mastermind team for the Great Escape, eventually escaping through the tunnel, but sadly captured and shot only a few days later.  

The podcast tells Sandy’s story. Hear too of the remarkable programme to restore Sandy’s Spitfire to fly again as an emblem of the remarkable work of the Photo Reconnaissance Unit and as a feat of engineering to inspire young engineers through a legacy education programme in Sandy Gunn’s name.   If you would like to find out more about the Spitfire restoration visit - https://www.spitfireaa810.co.uk/fettes

Mark Agnew is an adventurer and a journalist. At 30 years old Mark has already had two endeavours at rowing the Atlantic.  Mark is now attempting the 'last great first', the Northwest Passage.  Rowing 2,500 miles over 2 months as a crew of 8 from the Atlantic to the Pacific. We talked to Mark to find out more about his forthcoming expedition avoiding  ice flows, rocks and polar bears from Pond Inlet in Canada to Point Barrow in Alaska. Hear his thoughts on the challenges that he will face: sleep deprivation; exertion; cold and damp. The strengths that he will need: trust; fitness; resilience; humility and mental fitness. Mark talks of his beginnings, his childhood, his passion for rugby, the joy of achieving team goals and the spirit of friendship.  Mark was at Fettes from 2005-2009.  
Mark's expedition is due to begin in July once the ice has melted and the Northwest Passage is open.  His progress can be followed on this link. We wish Mark and the team every success.  
https://nwpexpedition.com/ 

On 19th November 2021 we explored the linkages between global finance, investment and climate change with Global Head of ESRG Research at HSBC, Old Fettesian Wai-Shin Chan (Gl 1993-1998). We talked about the outcomes of COP26 and some key thoughts for the future. 

Wai-Shin is a highly experienced analyst integrally involved in the global climate and sustainability agendas. As Head of HSBC’s Climate Change Centre of Excellence and also Global Head of Environmental Social Governance (ESG) research he oversees research across all aspects of climate change and ESG for the Bank. Wai-Shin Chan provides cutting-edge thought-leadership for HSBC’s investor and corporate clients as well as internal stakeholders. He is part of a world-class team of economists, strategists and analysts that provide thought-provoking and differentiated investment research enabling clients to consider the multi-asset implications of climate change and sustainable development.

Navraj Ghaleigh is Senior Lecturer in Climate Law at University of Edinburgh and is one of our current parents. He was previously a barrister in London and Lecturer at King's London, Navraj undertook his graduate work at the University of Cambridge, the European University Institute (Florence) and the University of California, Berkeley (Fulbright Scholar). He is also a Current Parent at Fettes.

Navraj joined us in the days immediately after COP26 to introduce Climate Law and to talk about the role Climate Law and other associated professions will have to play as we tackle the climate crisis.  

Climate change expert, Martin Lees (CE 1955-1960) joined us on Tuesday 2nd November 2021  for a live webinar with audience Q&A. Martin is a true expert in sustainability and climate change having been working with governments across the globe on these critical issues for the last 26 years. 
 
 This podcast is insightful, informative and very relevant to the immense challenge that climate change brings to humanity. 

Martin has an enviable CV. He is Chair of OECD IIASA Task Force on Systems Thinking, Anticipation and Resilience. He was Rector Emeritus at the UN University for Peace; a High-level Adviser to the President of COP20; Moderator of the Gorbachev Task Force on Climate Change and was previously UN Assistant Secretary General for Science and Technology for Development.

Martin has a degree in Mechanical Science from Cambridge University. At Fettes Martin was in College East, he was Head of House, he excelled on the hockey pitch and achieved the mile record, he was also in the choir and the orchestra and was RSM in the CCF.

Tech Entrepreneurs Jonathan Quin (Mo 1991-1992) and Conrad Irwin (Inv-Ca 2000-2007) joined us on 29th September 2021 for a live webinar with audience Q&A to talk Start-ups, Technology and Innovation .

Hear how they got started,  their thoughts on technology and on innovation. We learn of their start-up journeys and understand the phases of creating and growing a successful business.  They talk scaling and the pitch and partnership with investors for growth funding.  Topics explored in the questions include what makes good teams and good fit employees, where are the global hubs for developers and, is email dead? We are extremely grateful to both Conrad and to Jonathan for giving us their time and for their very valuable insights. 

Jonathan co-founded World First in 2004, with the goal of making it faster, easier, safer and cheaper to make international payments. The business grew to 700 people and $15 billion of turnover with offices in 7 countries. It was in the top 100 fastest growing companies in the UK five times, was twice awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise, and Jonathan was a finalist of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year. World First was acquired by Alipay in 2019 

Conrad is a programmer and start-up founder. He focuses on creating software to help people feel happier and more productive. Currently the CTO of Superhuman, he is working on improving professional communication by helping you get through your email in half the time. Conrad was recognised in the Forbes ‘30 under 30’ in consumer technology in 2019 for his work at Rapportive and Superhuman.

This edition of the podcast focuses on the impact of bursaries and includes brief interviews with our Bursar, Peter Worlledge, and two Old Fettesians, Sophie and Jeremy, who received financial assistance to attend Fettes. 

Listen to their stories which demonstrate the very real difference that the generosity of Fettes Foundation donors makes to bursary recipients and their families.

Join us for a fascinating conversation with:

• Alistair Campbell (Ca 1967-1971), previous Captain of HCEG Muirfield
• Chris Hilton (Ki 1963-1967), previous Captain of The R&A
• Abercrombie Nisbet (PS-Ar 2014-2020), previous Captain of Gullane Golf Club Juniors
• Graham Findlay (Ki 1972-1975), previous Captain of Royal St George’s Golf Club
• Chaired by Doug Philip (Inv-Mo 1999-2005), Captain of the OF Golfing Society

Hear this well qualified group of Old Fettesians talk:

1. Golfing during the Covid pandemic
2. Golf Club capacity as we move towards the new-normal
3. Pace of play 
4. Women in Golf Charter
5. Expanding the game
6. Disability golf
7. Technology in golf
8. Sustainability

This is an intelligent, inspirational and insightful panel conversation with Dame Stella Manzie DBE (Ar 1976-1978), Dr Alison Brown, PhD (Ca 1973-1975), Dr Jo Twist OBE (Ar 1986-1991), a meeting of great minds, giving us their view on the next five years…expertly chaired by Poppy Mitchell-Rose (Inv-CW 1991-1998)

Please note we are aware of issues with the sound quality in the first 5 minutes of this podcast, the audio does improve after this point.